Building wall of cellular blocks



Aug. 4, 1931. K. SLIDELL ET AL BUILDING WALL OF CELLULAR BLOCKS Filed Aug. 19, 1929 Ewe/1727s,

6// arm/- Patented Aug. 4, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE KEMPER SLIDELL AND EDWIN M. WYATT, OF MADISON, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO AMERICAN FACE BRICK RESEARCH CORPORATION, A

CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS BUILDING WALL OF CELLULAR BLOCKS Application filed August 19, 1929. Serial No. 386,843.

' This invention relates to a wall constructed of blocks of bloated cellular argillaceous material, such as clay or shale, which has been first broken or ground into particles of comparatively small size and thereafter subjected to a heat treatment at a tempera ture to cause liquefaction and bloating of the mass, with a resultant unification of the ranular particles into a cellular block, the cell walls of which are of vitrified material. An appropriate temperature will in most cases lie within the range of from 2000 F. to 2300 F.

The material, as used in the wall of the present invention, is cut, after leaving the furnace, into building blocks of the desired size and shape. The cutting of the original slab of material into building blocks cuts through the cells so that the cut surfaces which are truly planate are characterized by the presence of minute open cavities or pockets separated by walls of vitrified material.

The cut surfaces which preferably afford the top, bottom, end and rear walls of the completed block present ,the truly planate .and pocketed character above mentioned,

but the remaining surface of each block, which constitutes the exterior or exposed surface in the wall of the present invention,

. is uncut and presents a roughened or pebbled appearance, occasioned by the protru- .sion caused by the r ough or irregular surface of the original layer of granular particles. The exposed surface, however, is

continuous or unbroken and possesses an attractive texture and coloration well adapting it to, the requirements of an exterior wall surface.

The cut surfaces, on the contrary, being truly planate and cut to exact dimensions, permit the blocks to be accurately laid one upon another without the interposition of relatively thick mortar courses, which in ordinary brickwork are required to compensate for irregularities in the surface contour and dimensions of the bricks.

The blocks of the present invention, furthermore, may be bonded by a thin film of brickwork and laid by unskilled labor,

since troweling and truing of the courses is not required.

The individual blocks of the present invention are extremely light, impervious to water, of low thermal conductivity, and of sufiicient strength to meet building requirements.

The pebbled exterior surface may be colored in attractive shades of buff, tan, or other colors, depending upon the nature of the surface materials employed in the production of the blocks, and the heat and atmospheric treatment to which the material is subjected during the fusing and annealing operations.

The method of producing the material, however, forms no part of the present invention and need not be here described in detail.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a wall section composed of the blocks of the present invention, and

Figure 2 is a sectional view showing a plaster coat applied directly to the inner surface of the wall, and

Figure 3 a perspective view of a modification showing the blocks grooved or chan nelled to break the bonding surfaces.

The blocks A present cut end surfaces B, cut top and bottom surfaces G, and a rear surface D which may or which may not beable coloration to present an attractive wall surface.

The blocks are bonded by a thin film or layer G of cementitious material which fills into the pockets, but at the same time permits the cut planate surfaces to be closely adjoined. These surfaces are afforded by cutting the original slab by means of a carborundum disk or other suitable cutting device which severe the original slab into accurately proportioned blocks, preferably rectangular, which will fit closely and accurately against one another in the building up of the wall structure. Corner bricks, however, may be cut on a diagonal so that by joining the diagonal cuts of such bricks the facing surface A may be exposed con tinuously at the building corners or at openings.

In view of the character of the interior surface of the wall, which is preferably, though not necessarily, afforded by the cut pocketed surfaces of the blocks, and also by reason of the heat insulating capacity of the cellular blocks, and by the imperviousnessof the material to the penetration of water, -it is possible, with advantage, to apply a plaster coat H directly to the inner surface of the wall, without the provision of laths, furring strips or the like, upon which to lay the plaster coat. If cut surfaces are presented on the. interior of the wall, the applied plaster will enter into and tightly bond with the exposed pockets or cavities afforded by'the cut cells, but if an uncut surface is presented, it will be of a sufficiently rough texture to afford adhesion for the plaster. It is of course practical and easy to cut or grind grooves orslots K, Fig. 3 into the bonding surface or surfaces so that the mortar or adhesive joint is definitely broken to further reduce any possibility of moisture penetrating through the wall via the adhesive material used.

The blocks of the present invention may be made of a thickness commensurate with the original thickness of the bloated slab as it comes from the furnace, and simply cut to give the proper length and width to the blocks, or the original slab may be severed to provide blocks of reduced thickness, but 1n either case the inner wall surface will be of a character and texture to permit direct adherence of the plaster, although the cellular character of the blocks permits the dr ving of nails, so that, if desired, furring str ps trim or the like may be secured by nailing, particularly if the nails are driven obli uely.

e claim: 1. A wall composed of a plurality of blocks of cellular argillaceous material, the

cell walls of each block being of vitrified material and the cells being individually formed and non-communicating, the superposed surfaces of adjacent blocks being planate and exposing pockets formed by cutting through the cells, and the blocks being bonded by cementitious material filled into the exposed pockets, whereby portions of the adjacent planate surfaces of the blocks may be in substantial contact.

2. A wall composed of a plurality of blocks of cellular argillaceous material, the cell walls-of each block being of vitrified material and the cells being individually formed and non-communicating, the superposed surfaces of adjacent blocks being planate and exposing pockets formed by cutting through the cells, and the blocks being bonded by cementitious material filled into the exposed pockets, the exposed surface of the wall being uncut and of imperforate pebbled texture, whereby portions of the adjacent planate surfaces of the blocks may be in substantial contact.

3. A wall composed of a plurality of blocks of cellular argillaceous material, the

cell walls of each block being of vitrified material and the cells being individually formed and non-communicating, the superposed surfaces of adjacent blocks being planate and exposing pockets formed by cutting through the cells, and the blocks being bonded by cementitious material filled into the exposed pockets, the exposed surface of the wall being uncut and of imperforate pebbled texture and having a distinctive coloration, whereby portions of the adjacent planate surfaces of the blocks may be in substantial contact.

4. A wall composed of a plurality of blocks of cellular earthy material, the cell walls being of vitrified material and the cells being individually formed and non-communicating, the superposed surfaces of adjacent blocks being planate and exposing pock-' ets formed by cutting through the cells, and

the blocks being bonded by a layer of cemen- A titious material filled into the exposed pockets, and at least one of said surfaces being provided with an interior longitudinal groove affording an interior void and break. ing the continuity of the bonding layer.

5. A wall composed of a plurality of blocks of cellular argillaceous material, the cell walls being of vitrified material and the cells being individually formed and noncommunicating, the superposed surfaces of adjacent blocks being planate and exposing pockets formed by cutting through the cells, and the blocks being bonded by an interposed layer of cementitious material filled into the exposed pockets, the inner surfaces of the blocks composing the wall being planate and exposing pockets formed by cutting through the cells, and a coating of plaster adhering directly to the inner pocketed surfaces of the blocks composing the wall.

6. A wall composed of a plurality of blocks of cellular argillaceous material, the cell walls being of vitrified material and the cells being individually formed and noncommunicating, the superposed surfaces of adjacent blocks being lanate and exposing pockets formed by' cutting through the cells, and the blocks beingbonded by an interposed layer of cementitious material filled into the exposed pockets, the inner surfaces of the blocks composing the wall being planatc and exposing pockets formed by cutting through the cells, and a coating of plaster adhering directly to the inner pocketed surfaces of the blocks composing the wall,

the outer exposed surface of the wall being uncut and of imperforate pebbled texture.

In witness that we claim the foregoing, we have hereunto subscribed our names this 26th day of July, 1929.

KEMPER SLIDELL. EDWIN M WYATT. 

